Study Abroad Scholarships
A common misconception about studying abroad is it is unaffordable, but guess what? Thousands of foreign scholarships and grants are waiting for you to apply for! And who does not like free money? We all get that heart-aye-emojis just thinking about it.
What is a scholarship, and why do we need it?
A scholarship is “a sum of money allocated by a school, college, university, or other organization to pay for the education of a person of great ability but little money.” Here I will add that some scholarships are more flexible and allow all students to apply regardless of their academic ability or finances.
Differences between Scholarships and Grants
Both scholarships and grants are gift aid types, meaning students do not have to pay back the money. However, grants are usually need-based and often target young people who cannot spare the costs of their studies. On the contrary, most scholarships are awarded formulated on students’ academic, athletic, or artistic abilities.
The Distinction between Scholarships and Student Loans
Unlike scholarships, student loans are a sort of financial help that must be paid back, sometimes with interest. Student loans can be both it can be a blessing or can be a curse in disguise. For example, in the US, student loan debt reached an eye-watering $1.5 trillion in 2020.
Who can Apply for Scholarships?
Anyone who meets the application conditions can apply. Yes, it’s a “Captain Obvious” answer, but various types of scholarships target students. Always check if you can use it, whether the scholarship application deadlines are current and if the scholarship is available to national students international students. These are some of the general application requirements for scholarships:
- Registration or login form
- Cover letter or personal essay
- Letter of recommendation
- Acceptance letter from the academic institution
- Proof of low income, an official financial statement
- Proof of exceptional academic or sporting success
How can you Apply for a Scholarship?
Once you have found a foreign scholarship to apply for, start preparing your documents. The following are the things that involve in using the study abroad scholarships:
- Register for the scholarship. It is done by completing an online form.
- Check your inbox to make sure you received the confirmation email.
- Write a personal statement or essay. There are plenty of models on the Internet, but don’t forget to be original and impress with your unique experiences and ideas.
- Get official proof of your academic, sporting, or artistic achievements. Translate documents, if necessary, usually it is.
- Get official proof of your low income or nationality (for regional scholarships). Again, translation may be necessary.
- Check all documents for errors and send them to the scholarship provider.
- Submit your acceptance letter from the university (or an official document proving that you belonged to that university). You will not receive a scholarship without confirming that you will start your studies.
- Wait for the results. If you are selected, congratulations, you are a winner! Go ahead and have a party, but don’t spend all your scholarship money on it. I’m kidding; the university or college usually receives the money directly to cover your tuition (or part of it).
How to find Study-Abroad Scholarships?
The official website of your favorite university is the best place to start your scholarship search. If you can’t find anything relevant, contact a representative via email or chat to see if they can help you.
The next step is to look for financial help in other places on the Internet. However, finding reliable information is not always easy, and not all websites have up-to-date content. Here are some ways to collect expert opinions that can help you find the right scholarship program:
- cholarshipportal.com is a database where you can find a list of more than 5,000 scholarship opportunities
- Scholarships for Development is a website providing financial aid programs aimed mainly at students from developing countries
- Official EU scholarships page list of scholarships available to study in Europe
Information about scholarships is also offered by the official study abroad scholarships websites of individual countries like official information about scholarships in Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, and UK scholarship information and other requirements for study abroad scholarships.
Remember that every little bit helps fund your study abroad scholarships. Even though the scholarship is only $1,500, that’s your round-trip international airfare right there! It all adds up. Not to mention, once you’ve filled out one scholarship application, it’s much easier to reuse your essays and strategies to apply for dozens of other opportunities.
It’s a numbers game, and if you have a strong profile and commitment, you may have a good chance of getting funding if you have a strong profile and responsibility.
Persistence is also worth mentioning. You may not get any scholarships this year. It means you must continue to do well in school, find an outlet for your international interests to improve your eligibility and reapply next year.